Unable to file joint tax returns, gay couples are facing bigger bills and hassles. Indeed, experts say same-sex couples may have to prepare as many as four tax returns in order to maximize their tax benefits. Could that change any time soon? Find out in today’s Personal Finance section.

Plus, see what the Cablevision-Viacom battle over bundling means for consumers, read about why financial-services firms are trying to get grandparents to open college-savings accounts for their grandkids, and learn which questions should be top of mind for pre-retirees.

— Alice Hagge, staff editor

Danger as stock-market ‘Greedometer’ flashes red

The gay-marriage tax penalty

Same-sex couples can legally wed in nine states and the District of Columbia. This week, 80 prominent Republicans urged the Supreme Court to make it the law of the land. But come tax time, married gay couples have few rights and more headaches. The gay-marriage tax penalty

20 ways to make the most of capital gains

2012’s foreclosure sales lowest in five years

While 2012 saw the fewest foreclosure-related sales of homes since 2007, levels remain far higher than before the bursting of the housing-market bubble, according to data released Thursday. 2012’s foreclosure sales lowest in five years.

Should Gramps save for college?

Most parents can’t afford to save money for their children’s college education. So in order to boost sales of college-savings plans, investment managers are trying a new tactic: asking Grandma and Grandpa to sign up. Should Gramps save for college?

The $1,500 vacuum cleaner

Sequester-proof your finances

Will consumers “adjust” to the tax increases and spending cuts and economic slowdown that are all about to be triggered by Washington? How to insulate yourself from looming government cuts. Sequester-proof your finances

An index-only 401(k), with an extra fee

ECONOMY AND POLITICS

Senate sequester bills look set to fail

Senators appear poised to shoot down a pair of competing bills to stop automatic budget cuts from going into effect, paving the way for the so-called sequester to hit federal programs beginning Friday. Senate sequester bills look set to fail.

What’s better, and what’s worse, since recession

U.S. breaks down $9.3 bln robo-signing settlement

Federal regulators broke down details of a $9.3 billion settlement with 13 banks over foreclosure abuses stemming from the so-called robo-signing scandal, a deal that government officials say is expected to help more than 3.8 million borrowers. U.S. breaks down $9.3 bln robo-signing settlement.

Weekly jobless claims drop 22,000

The number of people who applied for jobless benefits dropped in the most recent weekly data, according to a U.S. Department of Labor report that signals continued labor-market gains even as the economy faces massive federal spending cuts Weekly jobless claims drop 22,000

INVESTING

Would new Dow record set a bear market trap?

The Dow industrials have been climbing toward an all-time high. If the average notches a new record, will that prove to be the bull market’s last gasp? Here’s what history tells us. Would new Dow record set a bear market trap?

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